A Broadcasting Platform on a Slab Linking Functions and Volumes
OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen
The new headquarters of RTS (Radio Télévision Suisse), Switzerland’s public broadcaster, is located between the campuses of EPFL and the University of Lausanne near Lake Geneva. The complex serves as a media production center that brings together radio, television, and digital production while also accommodating education, research, and public programs within an open campus setting. It was conceived to consolidate news editing, broadcasting, and technical facilities previously dispersed across Lausanne, Geneva, and other locations, creating a more efficient production system.
The building consists of four cubic volumes connected by a large slab. The volumes accommodate broadcasting studios, recording facilities, technical rooms, educational spaces, and administrative offices, while a glazed lobby between them forms the main circulation route and public zone. The lobby contains a central staircase, restaurant, and cafe, and connects to a garage and logistics area used by broadcast vehicles on the opposite side. Above the volumes sits a curved slab, described by the architects as a “field.” Designed as an open work environment, it accommodates media production and office functions in a flexible layout. Suspended approximately eight meters above ground, the field is designed to accommodate evolving modes of work. A roof punctuated by skylights and a repetitive triangular truss structure spans the entire space. Variations in color and pattern distinguish different zones while creating a continuous interior landscape. Furniture and projecting volumes form a layered composition that reflects the diverse activities and flows that intersect within the building.
The project prioritizes public access and collaboration alongside technical performance. Public spaces adjacent to the production facilities host events and educational programs, linking production and education. The approximately 5,000m² modular workspace supports interdepartmental collaboration and adapts to evolving digital production technologies. Lighting for the interior and exterior was designed by a French lighting studio, while a Swiss interior contractor produced custom curtains. Offering acoustic absorption and solar shading, the curtains help regulate the indoor environment while adding a decorative layer to the space.
Compared with its former facilities, the new campus reduces total floor area by approximately 25% and is expected to lower operating costs by around 30%. Energy-efficient systems and sustainable materials help meet stringent environmental standards. Since opening in 2025, broadcasting and production departments have been relocating to the campus. Replacing aging facilities and consolidating radio, television, and digital operations, it establishes a new production platform for an evolving media landscape.
Project: Radio & Television Building (RTS) / Location: Lausanne, Switzerland / Architect: OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen / Project team: Kersten Geers, David Van Severen, Giovanni Lazzareschi Sergiusti, Antonios Prokos, Jacopo Lugli, Ivana Čobejová, Bert Rogiers, Enea Facoetti, Steven Bosmans, Irini Peraki, Justine Rossillion, Hugo Mazza, Joschka Kannen, Yuichiro Onuma, Nenad Ðurić, Mahsa Ramezanpour, Riham El Moazen, Federico Taverna, Hugo Santoalha, Ronan Murray, Margaux Dequaire, Gregory Devaud, Alice Tripet / Collaborator: Fehlmann Architectes / Structural engineer: Bollinger+Grohmann, Ingeni SA / Facade engineer: BCS / Lighting engineer: Les Éclaireurs / Landscape architect: Bureau Bas Smets / Interior landscape design: Jeroen Provoost / Technical engineers: AZ Ingénieurs, MAB Ingénierie / Client: Société Suisse de Radiodiffusion et Télévision / Use: TV and radio broadcasting center / Gross floor area: 40,500m2 / Design: 2014 / Construction: 2020.3 / Completion: 2025 / Photograph: ©Bas Princen (courtesy of the architect)
